The Pittsburgh Panthers squeaked by the Stanford Cardinal by a score of 64-63 in the opening round of the ACC Tournament, earning them a second-round matchup against the NC State Wolfpack.
NC State was amongst the top teams in the ACC for a bulk of the season, but the Wolfpack lost their last four games, sending them tumbling down the standings. Can they snap their losing streak and keep their ACC Championship hopes alive?
Let’s find out.
Pittsburgh vs. NC State Odds, Spread, and Total
Spread
Pittsburgh +8.5 (-104)NC State -8.5 (-118)
Moneyline
Pittsburgh +265NC State -335
Total
OVER 143.5 (-115)UNDER 143.5 (-105)Pittsburgh vs. NC State How to WatchDate: Tuesday, March 10Game Time: Noon ETVenue: Spectrum CenterHow to Watch (TV): ESPN2Pittsburgh Record: 13-19 (5-13 in ACC)NC State Record: 19-12 (10-8 in ACC)Pittsburgh vs. NC State Betting TrendsPittsburgh is 17-15 ATS this seasonThe OVER is 16-15-1 in Pittsburgh games this seasonNC State is 15-15-1 ATS this seasonThe OVER is 19-12 in NC State games this seasonPittsburgh vs. NC State Key Player to WatchQuadir Copeland, G – NC State Wolfpack
Quadir Copeland may not be leading NC State in points, but he’s averaging 13.7 per game, and more importantly, he’s averaging an impressive 6.6 assists per game. The NC State offense is at its best when he’s on his “A” game. They need him to step up against Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh vs. NC State Prediction and Pick
There’s no question NC State is the better team, but I have no desire to lay 8.5 points on them. There’s something to be said about how the Wolfpack have played lately. Their effective field goal percentage is 5.6% lower over their past three games compared to their season average.
Defensively, they aren’t much better than Pittsburgh, coming in at 181st in defensive efficiency compared to Pittsburgh at 200th.
I’ll take the points with the Panthers and cheer for a close game.
Pick: Pittsburgh +8.5 (-104)
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